In recent years, as one of optical transmission technologies, which attract attention, there is a technology that realizes capacity enlargement by using a plurality of optical fibers two-dimensionally arranged. In this technology, an optical connector capable of connecting the plurality of optical fibers two-dimensionally arranged to a connection target object is necessary.
Conventionally, a vertical-type optical connector by which a plurality of optical fibers are perpendicularly connected to a connection target surface has been used. On the other hand, for installing an optical connector in a customer device, a horizontal-type optical connector by which a plurality of optical fibers are connected in parallel to a connection target surface is more advantageous in view of reductions in thickness and cost.
Here, in a state in which the optical connector is attached to a substrate on which a photoelectric conversion element is disposed, optical coupling between the optical fibers and the photoelectric conversion element is achieved. In a case of using an inexpensive organic substrate having a smaller mechanical strength as this substrate, position precision of the optical connector and the substrate becomes a problem. In contrast, an optical connector of a collimated light coupling type that collimates emitted light from optical fibers and transmits the collimated light to the photoelectric conversion element is strong against optical axis deviation and attracts attention.
For example, Patent Literature 1 has disclosed an optical connector for connecting a plurality of optical fibers arranged in one row. This optical connector includes a reflection surface, which emitted light from the plurality of optical fibers enters, and a lens, which light reflected on the reflection surface enters. The lens collimates incident light and emits the collimated light to a photoelectric conversion element.